Apparatus for the vertical filing of file wrappers or similar objects



M. DEQUEKER 1,953,552

APPARATUS FOR THE VERTICAL FILING 0F FILE WRAPPERS 0R SIMILAR OBJECTS April 3, 1934.

Filed May 18, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 HF"! f Inventor.- Ma and DEUUEIER A lforneys.

April 3, 1934. M. DEQUEKER 1,953,552

APPARATUS FOR THE VERTICAL FILING OF FILE WRAPPERS 0R SIMILAR OBJECTS Filed May 18, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 5 .11 Hg. 10 2 19 6 19 13a 1 5 6 Invenkor: Maurice 11E QUFKER Allforneys.

Patented Apr. 3, 1934 APPARATUS IFQR THE VERTICAL FILING OF FILE WRAFPERS R Slllt HLAR OBJECTS Maurice Degueker, Paris, France, assignei' to Societe Bite Iiice De ueker &

France Cie., Paris,

Application lii'ay 18, 1933, Serial No. 671,743 in France May 31, 1932 lil Claims.

The present invention relates to apparatus for the vertical filing of file wrappers or similar objects.

The vertical filing devices with which the invention is concerned are those in which the file wrappers are supported by small bars projecting on either side of the upper edge of said file wrap per and resting at both ends on two suitable horizontal supports respectively, said supports being disposed parallelly to each other in the filing receptacle on either side of the file wrappers.

In such filing apparatus, the file wrappers are disposed in close juxtaposition to each other and are adapted to slide on their supports so that, immediately after a file wrapper has been removed from the file receptacle, its place remains empty. In the course of the following manipulations and due to the sliding displacements that are imparted to the file wrappers, said empty space is soon filled by the adjacent file wrappers which come in contact with each other. From that time on, there is nothing to show that a file wrapper has been removed from the filing receptacle, and if, due to an oversight, this file is not put back into its place, it is impossible to detect this omission.

The object of the present invention is to provide a filing method and a checking element that avoids this drawback by permitting to detect at any time that a file removed from the receptacle has not been put back into its place.

The method consists in that each of the files or file wrappers is removably engaged with one or two elements adapted to slide therewith, either on the supports of the file wrappers, or an auxiliary supports, so that after a file has been removed from the filing system, said element or elements remain in position between the two adja-- cent files so as to maintain between them a suffioient space for replacing the file that has been removed. The space thus reserved necessarily discloses the fact that the file has been removed as long as the latter has not been put back into its normal position in the filing system.

The checking element according to the present invention is characterized in that it comprises on the one hand an organ through which said element is slidably connected with the support of the file wrappers or with the auxiliary support, preferably in a removable way, and on the other hand one or several suitable organs through which said element is removably engaged with the corresponding file wrapper.

Another characteristic of the present invention 55 consists in that a file cabinet, drawer or other (Cl. l29--16) receptacle that is intended to receive the checking elements according to the present invention is provided with either file supports of a special shape for permitting the checking elements to slidably engage them, or with auxiliary supports adapted to perform the same function.

Preferred embodiments of my invention will be hereinafter described with reference to the appended drawings given merely by way of example, in which:

Figs. 1 and 2 are perspective views of two removable structures adapted to be placed in ordinary filing cabinets, and comprising in the case of Fig. 1, supports provided with checking elements according to the invention, and in the case 7 of Fig. 2, supports for receiving the file wrappers and auxiliary supports for receiving checking elements of a different type.

Fig. 3 shows an ordinary filing drawer provided with supports according to the present invention;

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are an end view, a front View and a plan view of a checking element of the simple type forming a kind of sliding clip;

Figs. '7, 8 and 9 are a side View, a front view and a plan view respectively of a checking element provided with a pivoting flap;

Fig. 10 is a side View of another embodiment of a checking element according to my invention;

Fig. 11 is a front view from the inside of said element;

Fig. 12 is a front view from the outside of said element;

Fig. 13 is a plan view of the element of Fig. 10;

Fig. 14 is a side view similar to Fig. 10 showing the flap of the checking element in the open or raised position;

Figs. 15 and 16 are a side view and a plan view respectively or a modified checking element according to my invention;

Fig. 17 is a sectional view on a larger scale on the line 1?l7 of Fig. 16.

In the example shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the removable structure that is intended to transform an ordinary filing drawer into a vertical filing drawer adapted to receive filing wrappers :0 provided with small bars y projecting on either side thereof, consists of two longitudinal supports 1 on which the ends of said small bars can slidably rest. These supports form the sides of a frame resting on uprights 2 and which can thus be placed in an ordinary drawer of a filing cabinet. Each support consists of a metallic band, the upper end of which is rolled so as to form a cylindrical part on which the checking elements are engaged.

The checking elements utilized in the embodiment of Fig. 1 are shown separately and on a greater scale in Figs. 4 to 6. Each of them consists of a kind of clip, one of the branches 3 of which is fiat and applied against the inner face of support 1, while the other branch 4 is slightly curved and acts as a spring bearing against the outer face of said support, so as to prevent an accidental disengagement of the checking element. The two edges 5 and 6 of the upper portion '7 of the checking element are bent up at right angles on either side of said portion 7, the latter preferably carrying on its upper face a frame 8, in which may be placed a removable label 9.

The checking elements according to my inventicn as above described work as follows:

The clips or checking elements being slidably placed either on one of the supports 1 or on both of them (Fig. 1), the bar 11 of each file wrapper is inserted either at one end or at both ends between the bent up edges 5 and 6 of said element or elements disposed along one or both of supports 1 respectively. All the file wrappers are thus disposed in close juxtaposition to each other, the checking elements in which the ends of their supporting bars are inserted being in contact with one another. It can easily be understood that if one of the file wrappers is extracted from the file receptacle (Fig. l) the checking element or elements with which it was associated remains in position and prevents the file wrappers located on either side of the one that has been removed from coming into contact with each other. The place of the file wrapper that has been removed is therefore reserved and very clearly indicates that said file wrapper is missing.

The checking elements shown in Figs. 2, 7, 8 and 9 require the use of one or two auxiliary supports 10. Each of these auxiliary supports is disposed in the file drawer close to the corresponding support 1 and parallel thereto. Each of these checking elements consists of a metallic band suitably shaped. This band comprises at its rear end a portion 11, when a slightly resilient loop 12 adapted to be clipped on the auxiliary support 10. Said loop is sufficiently wide to pre vent an accidental removing of the element from support 10. The metallic band is prolonged so as to form a flap 13', the longitudinal edges 14 of which are bent down at right angles. Preferably the upper face of flap 13 carries a frame 14 V in which can be inserted in a removable manner a tag 15. 7

Checking elements of the type above described work as follows:

Their loops 12 are first clamped on one of the secondary supports 10 so that the flap 13 of each of them is in the position shown'in dotted lines in Fig. '7. In this position, the flat portion 11 of each element is in contact with the outer face of support 1. The filing wrappers are then placed on their supports 1 under the flaps 13 of the corresponding checking elements. Said flaps are then pivoted so as to come into contact with the upper edge of each file wrapper, their sides 14 surrounding said upper edge.

It will readily be understood that, with this arrangement, the file wrappers drive checking elements 13 together with them in their sliding displacement along supports 1. When a file is removed from the filing drawer, the bar y of this file raises the flap 13 of the corresponding checking element into the position shown in dotted lines. The checking element or elements of the file wrapper that has been removed, prevent the file wrappers located on either side thereof from coming into contact with each other because the rounded part or loop 12 of the checking element of the file wrapper that has been removed is always interposed between the two adjacent checking elements corresponding to the adjacent file wrappers. The empty place of the file wrapper that has been removed therefore clearly indicates that the latter is missing. It is obvious that if the drawer of the filing cabinet is to be closed, the flaps 13 that have been raised by the removal of the file wrapper can be pivoted down, and in this position they rest upon the supports 1 of the filing drawer.

The filing cabinet drawer shown in Fig. 3 consists of an ordinary filing drawer in which have been placed two supports 1 and two auxiliary supports 10. I may provide drawers that do not comprise auxiliary supports 10 when I prefer to make use of checking elements of the simple type illustrated in Figs. 4 to 6 inclusive.

In the example shown in Figs. 1 and 2, each file wrapper is engaged with two checking elements both of the same kind disposed on the two supports 1. I may of course provide one of the supports 1 with checking elements of the type of the sliding clips shown in Figs. l to 6. I may also, as above stated, have checking elements of either type on only one of the supports of the drawer.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 10 to 14, the checking elements consist of a kind of sliding clip comprising two branches 3 and 4 that clasp the part 1, and an upper portion 7, the raised edges 5 and 6 of which are intended to secure the end of the bar (not shown in the drawings) through which the file wrapper is supported.

On the outer branch 3 of this clip like element, there is disposed a pivoting fiap 13 adapted to be brought down upon the file wrapper when the latter is in position (Figs. 10 to 13), and to be raised up (Fig. 14) when the file wrapper is removed. In the example shown in the drawings, the flap is pivoted to branch 3 through a knuckle 16 cut and shaped from the very metal of said branch, and two knuckles 17 formed by the metal of fiap 13 a pin 13 extending through said knuckles.

In the example shown, the edges 19 of flap l3 are folded down against the upper face of said flap so as to form a channel in which can be inserted label 15 adapted to receive the desired inscriptions.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 15 to 17, the clip like element also comprises two branches 3 and 4 connected at their upper ends by a portion '7 having raised edges 5 and 6. The upper edges or" the outer branch 3 are bent along a certain length so as to form two longitudinal flanges 20 in which may be inserted a label 21 of relatively large size. The lower edges of the two flanges 20 are bent towards branch 3 so as to form stops 22 against which the label rests.

The ends of the two branches 3 and 4 are slightly bent towards the inside at 23 so as to ensure a better engagement of said branches with support 1.

Two of the checking elements that have just been described are slidably placed on support 1 of the filing apparatus as it has been indicated for the elements described in Figs. 4 to 6 inelusive.

While I have described what I deem to be practical and efiicient embodiments of my invention, it should be well understood that I do not wish to be limited thereto as there might be changes made in the arrangement, disposition and form of the parts without departing from the principle of my invention as comprehended within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A vertical filing system for file wrappers or similar articles, which comprises, two supports parallel to each other, a bar for each file wrapper adapted to be fixed to the upper edge thereof and projecting on either side thereof so that it can rest at both ends on said supports respectively, and a checking element slidably mounted on at least one of said supports and adapted to engage one end of one of said bars so as to slide together with it.

2. A vertical filing system according to claim 1 in which the supports consist of metallic bands, the upper edges of which are rolled for receiving the checking elements.

3. A vertical filing system for file wrappers or similar articles, which comprises in combination, two supports parallel to each other, a bar for each file wrapper adapted to be fixed to the upper edge thereof and projecting on either side thereof so that it can rest at both ends on said supports respectively, at least one auxiliary support disposed parallelly to the first mentioned supports and close to one of them, and a checking element slidably mounted on the last mentioned auxiliary support and adapted to engage one end of a file wrapper bar so as to slide together with it.

4. A checking element for use with a filing system for file Wrappers and similar objects including two supports parallel to each other and a fixation bar for each file wrapper adapted to rest at both ends on said supports respectively, which comprises means for slidably and removably engaging said checking element and said support, and means on the element for engaging one end of a fixation bar so that the sliding.displacement on the file wrapper along the supports is imparted to said checking element.

5. A checking element for use with a filing system for file wrappers and similar objects including two supports parallel to each other and a fixation bar for each file wrapper adapted to rest at both ends on said supports respectively, which consists of two branches forming a kind of clip adapted to be slidably and removably engaged on one of said supports, and an upper portion having its edges bent upwardly at right angles so as to receive the end of one of said bars.

6. In a filing system for file Wrappers and similar objects including two supports parallel to each other, a fixation bar for each file wrapper adapted to rest at both ends on said supports respectively and at least one auxiliary support parallel to the first mentioned supports and located close to one of them, a checking element which comprises a rounded part adapted to slidably and removably engage said auxiliary support, a part integral with one end of said rounded part and extending downwardly, and a flap integral with the other end of said rounded part and having its edges bent down at right angles so as to engage on either side of a fixation bar.

7. A checking element according to claim 5 further comprising a frame provided at the upper part of said checking element adapted to receive a label.

8. A filing system according to claim 6, the checking element further comprising a frame provided at the upper part of said flap and adapted to receive a label.

9. A checking element according to claim 5 further characterized in that the lateral edges of the outer branch are folded back so as to form a slide adapted to receive a label, and that the lower ends of the two branches are slightly bent inwardly.

10. A checking element according to claim 5, further comprising a fiap hinged to one of the branches, the lateral edges of said fiap being folded back so as to form a slide adapted to receive a label.

MAURICE DEQUEKER. 

